This April we changed the work Sunday from the first to the third Sunday of the month because of certain commitments.

The work we did was around and in the ponds in the second meadow from the iron bridge over the river. We cleared willow saplings from around the ponds and Marcus and Jack put on waders and cleared dead vegetation from within the ponds. Marcus commented that methane gas was being released from rotting vegetation. This is going to poison anything living in the water. We should take note and act.

Those present: Jack Westbrook, Bill Sylvester, Paul Knutson, Marcus King, Dawn Goodair, Tony and Sheila Lee, Ian Watson and Mitch.

Ian Watson

We continued the work of hedge layering and clearing along the canal side fence. The ladies, led by Dawn, worked on the lake side of the fence layering the hawthorn that was planted a number of years ago. The men levelled the mix of plants, dead hedge fashion, on the canal side and performed other support activities. 

Those present: Dawn Goodair, Evelyn Fox, Sheila & Tony Lee, Jack Westbrook, Paul Knutson, Mitch.

Mitch (Rob Mitchell)

It was a rather miserable day, but Dawn Goodair got on with layering the hedge by Stocker’s House, with the help of Steve and Erica Davey, welcome new workers.  Meanwhile, the rest of us cleared the brambles from our little copse by the Lock Keeper’s Cottage.  We noticed that a lot of the young trees had the bark eaten away at the same height on the main trunks.  It was Chris Jones who deduced that this must be the work of deer and the height of the damage suggested that a muntjac was the culprit. We seldom see them on the reserve, but doubtless night time is when they operate.  We’ll get some protectors.

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